Specialties

Treatment Focus

Chemotherapy; tyrosine kinase therapy; immunotherapy

Key Awards

Medical Oncology

Treatment Philosophy

I first had the opportunity to treat patients with sarcoma during my oncology fellowship training. I really enjoyed the challenge of this area of oncology because of the many types of tumors and their rarity. When I meet a patient, I work to be certain the pathologic diagnosis is correct and address what we need to do to treat the disease. I collaborate with Fox Chase pathologists, radiologists, surgeons, radiation oncologists and social workers to develop the right treatment plan. We meet as a team weekly at the Sarcoma multi-disciplinary tumor board to review individual patient cases and agree on the best management.

I am also committed to developing new therapies for patients with sarcomas. The strides made in improving cancer care have come from research and clinical trials. I work closely with scientists to better understand gastrointestinal stromal tumors and other sarcomas. I aim to have research studies as a treatment option for my sarcoma patients.

As a cancer survivor of over 20 years and as a mother who lost a daughter to cancer, I can say with certainty that cancer does not discriminate. Prior to my diagnosis, there was no family history of cancer and I always lived a healthy lifestyle, yet this disease affected me. A diagnosis can sneak up on anyone, regardless of how healthy they appear.

Alyssia O’Malley was a 44-year-old mother of two when she was diagnosed with Stage 4 retroperitoneal sarcoma in 2014. Her primary care physician referred her to Fox Chase Cancer Center for treatment where she underwent chemotherapy and later surgery. Today her cancer is in remission, and she is back to work full time. " I was very blessed to be at Fox Chase," Alyssia said. "I had been so scared, but I never worried in their care. They made me feel safe, and I knew they would do everything they could."

At the age of 74, Larry Reddick was growing more and more frustrated with the hoarseness of his voice. When he began losing weight for no reason, he decided to see an ear, nose, and throat specialist, but found this physician was not helpful. Larry then sought a second opinion from the Temple Head and Neck Institute, where he was diagnosed with grade 2 chondosarcoma, a rare cancer that would need surgery. He was referred to Dr. Christopher Fundakowski at Fox Chase Cancer, where he also was treated by Dr. Margaret von Mehren, a medical oncologist, and Dr. Neal S. Topham, chief of plastic and reconstructive surgery; the surgery was a success. "Fox Chase is solely focused on cancer, and the staff is compassionate and professional," Larry said. "Fox Chase is the ultimate in quality care professionals, and I will always be extremely grateful to them. Today I am cancer free."

When Darryl Hall was diagnosed with colon cancer, he was referred to a surgeon at a local hospital. After two colonoscopies and exploratory surgery, Darryl still felt he had no solid answers regarding his condition. He decided to seek a second opinion from a specialist at Fox Chase Cancer Center. Darryl had a completely different experience at Fox Chase, where he underwent surgery and chemotherapy. "I encourage other people like me to get a second opinion if they are not happy with their current treatment plan," he said. "Both my wife and I received the best of care at Fox Chase. We are grateful to our doctors, and we recommend Fox Chase to anyone needing cancer care. Today we are both doing well and can enjoy the time we spend together and with our five grandchildren."

Related News

PHILADELPHIA (May 24, 2018) – As nearly 40,000 cancer researchers, physicians, and advocates gather in Chicago for the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting, nearly 20 Fox Chase Cancer Center faculty and students will present their research on a range of topics.

PHILADELPHIA (April 23, 2018) — Fox Chase Cancer Center is pleased to announce the awardees of the request for application (RFA) focused on translational clinical protocol development based on basic and preclinical research results. The grants were open to Fox Chase Cancer Center/Temple University member labs.

PHILADELPHIA (August 21, 2017) – On September 10, Fox Chase Cancer Center and Temple Health will participate in the Race to Cure Sarcoma 2017 at Warminster Park, presented by the Sarcoma Foundation of America.

Philadelphia, PA (April 27, 2015) – Sixty-one (61) Temple physicians have been named to Philadelphia magazine’s “Top Doctors” list for 2015. Physicians on the list were nominated by their professional peers, and practice at Temple University...

“When we all get together, it’s the greatest gift,” Jim Matthews, a 20-year cancer survivor, said. “We’re looking for answers. If you open yourself up to fellowship and friends, you’ll find there’s a lot out there.”

TAK-228 is an mTOR inhibitor that prevents growth of cancer cells and has been shown to prevent tumor growth in animals. Therefore, the doctors now want to test if this drug can prevent tumor growth in patients with soft tissue sarcomas.

Temple Health refers to the health, education and research activities carried out by the affiliates of Temple University Health System (TUHS) and by the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. TUHS neither provides nor controls the provision of health care. All health care is provided by its member organizations or independent health care providers affiliated with TUHS member organizations. Each TUHS member organization is owned and operated pursuant to its governing documents.